The National Republican Association-Colorado Party (ANR) won both the parliamentary and presidential elections. Mr. Horacio Cartes defeated Mr. Efraín Alegre of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) to become President, promising "a new direction for Paraguay", to create jobs and to invest more in health and education. The ANR took 45 of the 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 19 of the 45 seats in the Senate. The PLRA, which pledged to fight crime and corruption, took 26 and 13 seats respectively and its coalition partner, the Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) took three seats in the Senate and none in the Chamber of Deputies.

The ANR has been the principal political party since 1947 (including during the dictatorship of General Alfred Stroessner from 1954 to 1989). It remained the largest party in both chambers in the 2008 elections, although its presidential candidate was defeated by Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo, who received the endorsement of the centre-left Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC) and the support of the PLRA.

However, in June 2012, parliament impeached President Lugo, criticizing his handling of a land eviction that left 17 people dead. Vice-President Federico Franco (PLRA) assumed the presidency until the 2013 elections.

Date of previous elections: 20 April 2008

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: April 2018

Number of seats at stake: 80 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: Not available

Percentage of women candidates: Not available

Number of parties contesting the election: 21

Number of parties winning seats: 8

Alternation of power: Yes

STATISTICS

Voter turnout

Round no 1

21 April 2013

Number of registered electorsVotersBlank or invalid ballot papersValid votes